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Students from the YORO Team of the McKeown School were: Jasmin Borgonia, Katelyn Poole, Donna Gonzales, and Matt Chenard.
Credits:
Jennifer Jean Miller

Students ready for one of the races.
Credits:
Jennifer Jean Miller

Participants in one of the last heats.
Credits:
Jennifer Jean Miller

Solar cars speed along the track.
Credits:
Jennifer Jean Miller

Sussex and Morris County Students Participate in Junior Solar Sprints

Jennifer Jean Miller

Thursday, May 16, 2013 • 10:11pm

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HARDYSTON, NJ - Sussex County students, and a few from Morris County, gathered at the Hardyston Middle School on Tuesday, May 14, for the Division 2 Race of the Junior Solar Sprints, coordinated by TransOptions.

The competition, which is comprised of five different races, then concludes with an Inter-County Final Race, held in Florham Park.

The event is free for students to participate in, and is sponsored by: Alcoa (Primary Sponsor), Thorlabs, First Energy Foundation, The New Jersey Herald, and Avis-Budget.

Each student team entered receives a kit from TransOptions, containing the components for a solar car, including a motor, wheels, axles, and solar panel. From there, the teams design their vehicles.

On the day of the race, the cars head down 66-foot parallel tracks for the speed portion of the contest. From there, each unit is reviewed by judges for engineering, craftsmanship, best use of recycled materials, and documentation portfolio. There is also a Student Choice Award, which gives the students a chance to judge their favorite car.

According to TransOptions, teams winning in Speed, Craftsmanship, Engineering and Best Use of Recycled Materials will advance to the Inter-County Final competition. That competition is scheduled for May 28 (rain date May 30) to be held at Ridgedale Middle School.

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